Current trends in the tourism and hospitality industry

The last two decades have been instrumental in the transformation of the tourism and hospitality industry. What started as a small-scale industry, is a major contributor to the world GDP today. Starting from aviation to fine dining and hotels to casinos, the tourism and hospitality industry engulfs everything. This industry has grown by leaps and bounds, not only in terms of revenue but also employment generation.

One of the driving factors for the rapid growth of the tourism and hospitality industry is the emerging trends that help in improving the service provided. In this blog, we will focus on the current trends in hospitality and tourism management and their impact on the bigger picture.

Top trends of tourism and hospitality industry

• Introduction of digital platforms: Many online travel platforms that facilitate airline or train tickets, hotels and tour packages to travellers have come to the fore. This has made travelling easier and travel essentials more accessible. There are platforms that provide all services in one place, making the process transparent and enhancing the quality of customer service.

• Rise of global tourism: As the travel industry is growing, travelling to foreign lands is becoming easier. Low-cost carriers have made otherwise expensive destinations more accessible. Emerging markets in the industry have had a widespread positive impact on the GDP and the growth of the industry.

• Ecotourism: With the impact of climate change becoming more and more dominant, ecotourism is picking pace as alternate tourism. Moreover, hospitality establishments are moving towards a more eco-friendly approach to sustainability. Practices such as installing solar panels and programming lights, air conditioners and other electronic equipment to turn off as soon as the guests leave the room are being implemented by hotels to cater to the current environmental situation.

• Customer satisfaction: The introduction of digital platforms has not only made the pre-travel processes easier but also improved post-travel services. Today, if guests are dissatisfied with a service, they can raise their concerns through mobile apps or websites. Tourism and hospitality establishments have also used this development to address their customers’ issue faster and more efficiently.

• Unique experiences: The age of millennials has surely changed the way people travel. Today, travellers want unique travel experiences, customised only for them. Hoteliers and other service providers have also risen to the occasion to cater to the demands of the new-age travellers.

• Easy visa applications: Securing the visa for a country is no longer a tedious task. You can now apply for online or coordinate with an online travel agent to complete most part of the process over the Internet. This has made travel more accessible and hassle-free.

The hospitality and tourism industry is expanding faster than ever, which has a direct impact on employment opportunities. A large number of new roles have been introduced in the field, thanks to the growing dependency of the industry on technology and data analytics. For those who want to enter the industry, there is no better time than now. Research about the hospitality and tourism-related programmes offered by reputed universities and enrol for the course that suits your interests the best.